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Topic:  Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?

Topic:  Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
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OhioCatFan
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  Message Not Read  Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/26/2013 9:52:52 PM 
We are having a family argument here, and I need some help from those with good memories and long, grey beards.  What year was the "bowl" game that was to be played in Ireland and that turned out to be a scam.  I'm thinking 1991; however, others in the family are insisting that it was 1989.  We were scheduled to go to the game, and when it was cancelled we went to Germany instead.  We are having collective memory warps as to when that trip occurred.  Help would be greatly appreciated!

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

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SBH
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/26/2013 10:30:46 PM 
1990.  I was signed up...found out eight days before departure.

 
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OhioCatFan
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/26/2013 10:39:38 PM 
Thank you!  I was wrong, I thought '91.  My wife was wrong, she thought '89.  My son won this round, as he said he thought it was '90.  At least I don't have to say to my wife, once again, "You were right, dear!"

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

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SBH
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/26/2013 10:48:21 PM 
My aunt's best friend was  Ball State fan who was signed up.  When she found out the trip was a scam, she died of a brain aneurism.  
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OhioCatFan
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/26/2013 10:53:17 PM 
SBH wrote:
My aunt's best friend was  Ball State fan who was signed up.  When she found out the trip was a scam, she died of a brain aneurism.  


Cause and effect, you think? 

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

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JSF
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/27/2013 3:39:03 AM 
What's this?

"Loyalty to a hometown or city is fleeting and interchangeable, but college is a stamp of identity."- Kyle Whelliston, One Beautiful Season.

My blog about depression and mental illness: https://bit.ly/3buGXH8

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SBH
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/27/2013 11:08:51 AM 
In the darkest days of Ohio football, AD Harold McElhaney came up with the idea of playing our regular season game against Ball State in Killarney, Ireland.  He was sold on this idea by a Columbus-based trip promoter who was, shall we say, shady.

The trip was to involve chartered airliners of Ohio and BSU fans, a week's stay in a Killarney resort, and a variety of side trips.

When we signed up, we were told we'd get our hotel confirmations, airline tickets and other documentation by mid-August. The promoter missed every deadline and we never saw our tickets. I called the AD and alumni offices multiple times to express my concern and was assured that they were on top of things.  I seem to remember being called an "alarmist" when I complained of no return calls from the promoter.  "The university only works with reputable promoters and our alumni trips are extremely popular and successful," sniffed the director of alumni relations.

Eight days prior to  departure, I got home from work to hear a phone message that went something like this: "Your trip to Ireland has been canceled. The promoter has taken all of your money and declared bankruptcy. There are no airline tickets and apparently the destination hotel is closed for the season."

Good times!

Oh, and we ended up playing the game in Muncie and got slaughtered.



Last Edited: 5/27/2013 11:11:41 AM by SBH
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catfan28
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/27/2013 12:14:14 PM 
Luckily, didn't sign up for the trip...but remember this fiasco. It epitomizes how inept our athletic department and university was during those dark ages of the 80's and early 90's. Goodness, we've come a long way...
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Monroe Slavin
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/27/2013 12:43:54 PM 
I have a great connection if anyone wants to see the redhawk-Ohio State game in Moscow this year,  I'll need a $4000 deposit into my paypal account by July 15.  Non-refundable.

Where's the band?!
WHERE"S THE BAND?!


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JSF
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/27/2013 1:34:35 PM 
Wow. This is the first time I've heard of this! Imagine if that happened today. Tim Burke would be all over it.

"Loyalty to a hometown or city is fleeting and interchangeable, but college is a stamp of identity."- Kyle Whelliston, One Beautiful Season.

My blog about depression and mental illness: https://bit.ly/3buGXH8

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OhioCatFan
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/27/2013 11:43:45 PM 
SBH's account is quite accurate and very similar to my own experience.  I would only add that Charles J. Ping dipped into university coffers to refund us every last cent we had sent in for deposits and payments.  The university, not the fans, was left holding the bag on this one.  Ping technically did not have to do this, but it was the honest thing to do.  I remember that he said that since we had trusted the University in this matter that the university was morally, if not legally, responsible for making the refunds.  As I recall, there was some clause in the contracts we had signed that would have left Ohio fans out in the cold, if President Ping hadn't personally intervened.  Though I always respected and admired Dr. Ping, this incident greatly reinforced my impression of him as a truly honorable man.

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

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Aaron Romero
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/28/2013 8:02:39 AM 
The late great Shamrock Bowl. Those of us in The 110 at the time were told that only half of us could go. During an indoor practice at Gordy Hall we said, "no". All or none was our motto. I used to have the t-shirt.
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SBH
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/28/2013 8:28:42 AM 
OhioCatFan wrote:
SBH's account is quite accurate and very similar to my own experience.  I would only add that Charles J. Ping dipped into university coffers to refund us every last cent we had sent in for deposits and payments.  The university, not the fans, was left holding the bag on this one.  Ping technically did not have to do this, but it was the honest thing to do.  I remember that he said that since we had trusted the University in this matter that the university was morally, if not legally, responsible for making the refunds.  As I recall, there was some clause in the contracts we had signed that would have left Ohio fans out in the cold, if President Ping hadn't personally intervened.  Though I always respected and admired Dr. Ping, this incident greatly reinforced my impression of him as a truly honorable man.


The interesting thing about paying us back was that the university was unable to simply dip into its own coffers due to state law; the payout cauld only take place as a result of a lawsuit. So the university hired a lawyer for the plaintiffs, paid for all legal representation, and then essentially sued itself. Only after losing the lawsuit, intentionally, could it pay us back. I seem to recall the tab being somewhere north of $3k per couple.
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oldkatz
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/28/2013 8:31:26 AM 
Aaron Romero wrote:
The late great Shamrock Bowl. Those of us in The 110 at the time were told that only half of us could go. During an indoor practice at Gordy Hall we said, "no". All or none was our motto. I used to have the t-shirt.


  I still have the shirt;  friend of mine was working in the dorms one summer in the early 90's and found a box of them.  He "distributed" a few and I think mine might be the only one remaining.  Good times, good times.

"All my inside sources tell me I have no inside sources." Salvatore "money bucks" Mafiosiano.
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OUcats82
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/28/2013 10:33:29 AM 
oldkatz wrote:
Aaron Romero wrote:
The late great Shamrock Bowl. Those of us in The 110 at the time were told that only half of us could go. During an indoor practice at Gordy Hall we said, "no". All or none was our motto. I used to have the t-shirt.


  I still have the shirt;  friend of mine was working in the dorms one summer in the early 90's and found a box of them.  He "distributed" a few and I think mine might be the only one remaining.  Good times, good times.

 

Sounds like a remake of such a shirt could be a money maker for the 110 or another outfit on campus. 

Ohio-The State University
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OhioCatFan
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/28/2013 6:59:47 PM 
SBH wrote:
OhioCatFan wrote:
SBH's account is quite accurate and very similar to my own experience.  I would only add that Charles J. Ping dipped into university coffers to refund us every last cent we had sent in for deposits and payments.  The university, not the fans, was left holding the bag on this one.  Ping technically did not have to do this, but it was the honest thing to do.  I remember that he said that since we had trusted the University in this matter that the university was morally, if not legally, responsible for making the refunds.  As I recall, there was some clause in the contracts we had signed that would have left Ohio fans out in the cold, if President Ping hadn't personally intervened.  Though I always respected and admired Dr. Ping, this incident greatly reinforced my impression of him as a truly honorable man.


The interesting thing about paying us back was that the university was unable to simply dip into its own coffers due to state law; the payout cauld only take place as a result of a lawsuit. So the university hired a lawyer for the plaintiffs, paid for all legal representation, and then essentially sued itself. Only after losing the lawsuit, intentionally, could it pay us back. I seem to recall the tab being somewhere north of $3k per couple.


Now that you mention it, I remember that wrinkle.  Though, I think that the suit took a little too much time and some of us who were complaining were making a major noise that got the administration's attention.  So, as I recall, to speed things up we were actually reimbursed out of non-state funds in the OU Foundation and then, after the suit you mentioned was settled, the university reimbursed the OU Foundation.  I remember being told that it would be quite a while -- six months or more -- before we would be reimbursed and then having a rant on the phone with someone in the AD's Office.  In so many words, I told them that this was unacceptable, because we needed to pay off bills we had from the trip to Germany that we had taken when the Ireland gig was cancelled.  Then, a few weeks later the check arrived with a letter from Ping.  

Last Edited: 5/28/2013 7:01:17 PM by OhioCatFan

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

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Valley Cat
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/28/2013 9:49:34 PM 

My addiction to Ohio athletics started in 1995. I am thankful for this post. Just an unreal story. Thanks for sharing.
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OhioCatFan
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/28/2013 11:03:41 PM 
It's interesting how my asking a simple question to adjudicate a family squabble, which SBH answered in a very timely fashion, has led to all of these additional details.  Many of these details I hadn't thought about in years and the comments of others, particularly SBH, sequentially jogged memories that I otherwise would not have remembered -- thus proving that my synapses are still working to some extent!  

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

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BSJ73
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 5/29/2013 11:42:48 AM 
I greatly enjoyed watching college football last year in Ireland -- the Notre Dame-Navy clash in Dublin.  It was played in modern Avia Stadium before a sold out crowd of 56,000.  Most were Americans, but a number of locals showed up to see what all of the hoozah was about.  In typical Irish fashion, the toss of the coin was conducted by the nation's president (a poet -- only in Ireland!) and it was a great game for Irish fans.  Then we spent another week showing my brother and sister the auld sod.  And we monitored the Bobcat-Penn State score later in the day and hoisted a Guinness to the victory.    
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Bobcat
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  Message Not Read  RE: Question for Old Farts: What year was the never-played Scam Bowl in Ireland?
   Posted: 6/4/2013 12:02:22 AM 
I still have a boatload of those shirts. Probably could spare a few if anyone wants one.

Go Cats & Go Bucks

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